Rajasthan High Court - Jodhpur
Babu Lal vs State on 21 April, 2022
Bench: Pushpendra Singh Bhati
(1 of 4) [CRLA-450/2015]
HIGH COURT OF JUDICATURE FOR RAJASTHAN AT
JODHPUR
S.B. Criminal Appeal No. 450/2015
Babu Lal
----Appellant
Versus
State of Rajasthan
----Respondent
For Appellant(s) : Mr. JS Khichi
For Respondent(s) : Mr. M.S. Bhati, PP
Mr. Pradeep Sharma
HON'BLE DR. JUSTICE PUSHPENDRA SINGH BHATI
Order
21/04/2022
In the wake of instant surge in COVID - 19 cases and spread
of its highly infectious Omicron variant, abundant caution is being
maintained, while hearing the matters in the Court, for the safety
of all concerned.
This Criminal Appeal has been preferred by the appellant
claiming the following reliefs:-
"It is, therefore, prayed that this appeal may kindly be
allowed and the impugned judgment dated
27.04.2015 passed by the learned Special Judge
Electricity Act Cases, Hanumanggarh in Sessions Case
No.52/2010 (CIS 21/2014) (State Vs. Babu Lal) may
kindly be quashed and set aside."
Learned counsel for the appellant does not make any
submission on merits, but seeks a limited prayer that the accused-
appellant may be granted benefit under Section 4 of the Probation
of Offenders Act, 1958. Section 4 of the Probation of Offenders
Act, 1958 reads as under :-
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"4. Power of court to release certain offenders on
probation of good conduct.--
(1) When any person is found guilty of having
committed an offence not punishable with death or
imprisonment for life and the court by which the person
is found guilty is of opinion that, having regard to the
circumstances of the case including the nature of the
offence and the character of the offender, it is
expedient to release him on probation of good conduct,
then, notwithstanding anything contained in any other
law for the time being in force, the court may, instead
of sentencing him at once to any punishment direct
that he be released on his entering into a bond, with or
without sureties, to appear and receive sentence when
called upon during such period, not exceeding three
years, as the court may direct, and in the meantime to
keep the peace and be of good behaviour: Provided
that the court shall not direct such release of an
offender unless it is satisfied that the offender or his
surety, if any, has a fixed place of abode or regular
occupation in the place over which the court exercises
jurisdiction or in which the offender is likely to live
during the period for which he enters into the bond.
(2) Before making any order under sub-section (1), the
court shall take into consideration the report, if any, of
the probation officer concerned in relation to the case.
(3)...
(4)...
(5)... "
On the other hand, learned Public Prosecutor opposes the
appeal and submits that looking to the overall facts and
circumstances of the case and the well reasoned speaking order
passed by the learned court below, the accused-appellant is not
entitled for any indulgence by this Court.
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(3 of 4) [CRLA-450/2015]
Heard learned counsel for the parties as well as perused the
record of the case.
In Arvind Mohan Sinha Vs. Amulya Kumar Biswas
(1974) 4 SCC, the Hon'ble Apex Court observed as under:-
"The Probation of Offenders Act is a reformative
measure and its object is to reclaim amateur offenders
who, if spared the indignity of incarceration, can be
usefully rehabilitated in society.
In recalcitrant cases, punishment has to be deterrent so
that others similarly minded may warn themselves of the
hazards of taking to a career of crime. But the novice
who strays into the path of crime ought, in the
interest of society, be treated as being socially sick.
Crimes are not always rooted in criminal tendencies
and their origin may lie in psychological factors
induced by hunger, want and poverty. The Probation
of Offenders act recognises the importance of
environmental influence in the commission of
crimes and prescribes a remedy whereby the
offender can be reformed and rehabilitated in
society."
In Brij Lal Vs. State of Rajasthan RLW 2022 Raj 945, a
Coordinate Bench of this Court observed as under:-
"Under Section 4 of the Probation of Offenders Act
nature of offence is one of the major-criteria for
determining whether benefit of this provision should be
given to the concerned offender or not. His age would be
another relevant factor and the circumstance in which the
offence was committed may be 3rd important
consideration... "
In Mohd. Hashim Vs. State of U.P. & Ors., (2017) 2 SCC
198, while reiterating the ratio decidendi laid down in Dalbir
Singh Vs. State of Haryana, (2000) 5 SCC 82, the Hon'ble
Apex Court observed as under:
"... The Court has further opined that though the
discretion as been vested in the court to decide when
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(4 of 4) [CRLA-450/2015]
and how the court should form such opinion, yet the
provision itself provides sufficient indication that
releasing the convicted person on probation of good
conduct must appear to the Court to be expedient..."
Thus, this Court, after taking into due consideration the
legislative intent of the Act and the decisions rendered by the
Hon'ble Apex Court in Mohd. Hashim (supra), deems it
appropriate to extend the benefit of Section 4 of the Probation of
Offenders Act to the accused-appellant.
Resultantly, the present appeal is partly allowed. While
maintaining the conviction of the present accused-appellant(s) for
the offence under Section 138 of Electricity Act, as recorded by
the learned Court below in the impugned judgment, this Court
interferes only with the sentence part of the said judgment, and
directs that the appellant shall be released on probation, under
Section 4 (while considering Section 6) of the Act, upon their
furnishing a personal bond in the sum of Rs.50,000/- and two
sureties in the sum of Rs.25,000/- each to the satisfaction of the
learned trial court with a further undertaking that he shall
maintain peace and good behaviour for a period of two years and
shall not repeat the offence. The appellant is on bail. He need not
surrender. His bail bonds stand discharged accordingly. All pending
applications stand disposed of. Record of the learned court below
be sent back forthwith.
(DR.PUSHPENDRA SINGH BHATI), J.
42-Sudheer/-
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